Malvern Prep Students Learn To Grow Business, Give Back To Community

MALVERN, Pa. (CBS) — It’s a high school class that shows students how to start their own businesses and give back to the community at the same time.

Over the last seven months, students from Malvern Preparatory School have worked on business ideas. On Wednesday, they presented those ideas to a panel at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School so they can get feedback as they continue to build and grow those ideas.

“Students work in teams, they identify a social impact problem and then using design thinking they come up with a solution,” said Malvern Prep head of school, Christian Talbot.

Nathan Belisario and his group were developing a suicide prevention app.

“It’s goal is just to keep you happy and positive, and help you not even think about suicide,” Belisario said. “If we can save just one person’s life, the project is more than worth it.”

Tip O’Neill is the CEO of International Raw Materials. He sat on the expert panel.

“This is a good opportunity for these young men to learn about non-profit activity, social entrepreneurship, how to create organizations that solve society’s problems,” O’Neill said.

Other business plans include a program to help learn more about concussions and an app that lets cancer patients connect with each other.

Justin UdoJustin Udo is a reporter and editor at KYW Newsradio 1060.
He got his start in radio as an intern at his hometown CBS station, KDKA in Pittsburgh. ...More fromJustin Udo